A FUNDRAISING art exhibition in Winchester has raised around £50,000.

The ‘Changing Perspectives’ Art exhibition held last weekend (March 14-15) at the Link Gallery at West Downs sold some £50,000 for the benefit of Winchester GoLD, the charity that helps people with learning disabilities.

The charity will receive 40 per cent of the value of the art works, approximately £20,000.

Susie Evershed, who organised the exhibition, said: “This is a breath taking amount. It is far more than we dared to hope for.

“We owe a huge debt to the artists and the public that supported the event but I want to say a special thank you to the wonderful team of volunteers that helped me put this exhibition together.

“They created a professional event with pictures that were professionally hung in a splendid venue thanks to the university. This was our first attempt to raise money for charity by selling art. The generosity of all those involved means a big helping hand for those in our community that we support. We couldn’t have done it without you.”

The final figure will depend on the raffle of two pictures donated to Winchester GoLD which will be drawn in September.

Tickets at £10 each are on sale through the charity’s website for a Tracey Emin or a Diana Armfield, both of whom are highly-esteemed Royal Academicians.